Voice is Hiring!

Job Announcement

Updated: September 2021

Senior Support Coach
Resident Opportunity Services (ROS) Program

Starting Pay: $38-42,500with benefits, depending on skills and experience

Position Summary

Under supervision of the ROS program manager, the Senior Support Coach will conduct outreach, provide supportive counseling, enable community building activities, and perform various duties in support of older residents residing in Voice-sponsored affordable housing developments in the Uptown Community.  S/he will take a lead role in linking low-income, senior residents and their families to services and opportunities that address social, health, economic, cultural, and recreational needs and interests. The position is full time, with a schedule that is flexible to meet residents’ needs.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Senior Support Coach will

  • Assess needs and interests of senior residents, including home environment, physical and mental health status, and resources, via voluntary participation and with referrals from property management;
  • Provide incident response services, ongoing case management services and coordination; database management  and reporting consistent with policies, security protocols, and confidentiality procedures; and regular communications with senior program participants by phone, virtual meetings, home and office visits, email and other correspondence;.
  • In program support and service coordination, the Senior Support Coach may conduct outreach and act as liaison to agencies, institutions, medical providers, property management, and organize social or “community building” events, such as intergenerational activities, field trips, gardening projects, health/fitness classes, and financial support workshops; and, 
  • As part of on-going data collection efforts, the Senior Support Coach will help with an organization-wide effort to collect baseline information from each household in Voice owned and partner buildings. 

VIEW FULL JOB ANNOUNCEMENT HERE.

Sweet Home 2024: See Who’s Coming

Wow! The Sweet Home Uptown 2024 celebration of history and fundraiser is coming up April 18th.  There are amazing honorees we’ll celebrate: Angela Clay, Ed Jacob and Peter Levavi. 

There is an incredible band, the Sweet Home Allstars, who grew up with the blues, played with the greats, and hold sway at Chicago’s best blues venues. Register Today.

There are hosts and salty dogs from a bygone era showing up and young bloods of community development, social services, government and politics present. 

Whether you’re a supporter, vendor, property manager, developer, advocate or most important, resident of affordable housing, this will be THE place to be.  SEE WHO IS COMING.

Voice & Partners “In the News”

In many countries, people in most need of food, shelter and services are provided for by direct government support. In the USA, where we heavily rely on non-profit organizations to provide these basic needs, funding and technical/programmatic challenges are significant and perpetual. The story in the Tribune of the Heartland Alliance saga provides context for this with painful details.

Amid crises, however, comes opportunities for other organizations to step up, and in the case of service-enriched affordable housing, preserving properties that are home to residents who represent the cornerstone of racial, economic, and needs diversity in communities like Uptown. Voice is seeking to save one of many buildings at risk of sale to the marketplace — the San Miguel Apartments — by partnering with the National Housing Partnership Foundation. We are also pressing for solutions with our advocate partners and legislative leaders to save even more. Read Article.

Tax Relief for Affordable Housing Owners

Senator Mike Simmons and Voice of the People in Uptown is inviting representatives of affordable housing owners to “Meet the Commissioner” — Samantha Steele of the Cook County Board of Review at a short presentation and reception Wednesday, July 19th, 4 pm at Truman College.

You’ll want to meet Ms. Steele, District 2 Commissioner, who has been elected by citizens of northern Chicagoland and charged with helping to make our property tax system more fair and equitable through property tax appeals.

She’ll be joined by other recently elected public officials, including 13th District State Representative Hoan Huynh and Alderwoman Angela Clay of the 46th Ward, who are committed to advancing support to affordable housing owners who are key to maintaining the economic, racial and needs diversity we have in Chicago communities. SEE OUR ANNOUNCEMENT FLYER.

Sen. Mike Simmons, session host, along with Voice of the People, a non-profit and tenant-led housing organization, are bringing affordable housing owners together on issues of common concern, beginning with property taxes.

Property taxes that are too high can threaten cash flows and long term viability of affordable housing developments — even as owners absorb hidden “social costs” not always reflected in the property financial statements, nor submitted as background for assessment and appeals. This will be the subject of a short presentation by our resource person, Craig Donnewald, Esq. of Finkel Martwick & Colson.

The information is not legal advice, but guidance to non-profit and affordable housing owners or partner representatives, asset managers and property management professionals who work closely with legal counsel or consultants seeking relief with property tax appeals.

If you’d like to attend, please rsvp to events@vophousing.com or call 773.769.2442 for more information.

Heart of Uptown Apartments Announced

Voice of the People in Uptown with its partner, Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH), is proud to announce plans for the upgrade of five residential properties with 103 leased homes beginning as early as the Fall 2024. Residents who live in these buildings are providing their input into the process with meetings kicking off a year in advance ! Read the full project description here.

If you live in buildings at 847 W Sunnyside, 4130 N. Kenmore, 927 W. Wilson, 4431-41 N. Clifton, 900-02 W. Windsor/Hazel, the first meeting will be at Wilson Abbey, 939 W. Wilson Avenue, Thursday, May 25th at 6:00 pm. Dinner will be served at the accessible third-floor location next to Everybody’s Coffee.

Residents of these properties can fill out a survey of improvements they recommend for their apartment and building — on flyers or with the Survey Online.   Learn more or check for updates on the proposed redevelopment called the Heart of Uptown Apartments or HUPA.  Follow the link to the HUPA Home Page, where information will be updated on planned improvements and resident services.

Both Voice and POAH have policies of Development Without Displacement and believe affordable housing is the key to achieving sustainable economic, racial, and needs diversity in the Uptown Community of Chicago.

46th Ward Statement

Angela Clay is a long-time former tenant, board leader and president of four years, and now the winning candidate for 46th Ward Alderperson. The election has brought attention to the importance and challenges in creating and maintaining affordable housing, which is critical to sustaining economic and racial diversity in Uptown.  Read Our Statement.

The Dovie Thurman Affordable Housing Trust

Following board action in the fall of 2022, Voice of the People has authorized the formation of an Affordable Housing Trust named after a legendary tenant and community leader, Dovie Thurman. Incorporated in January 2023, the Trust will be dedicated to assuring permanent affordability of housing that is adequately supported by advantaged access to economic and resident services benefits. The initiative will start-up over two years, include three Voice owned properties, and be opened up to include other eligible affordable housing owners and developments thereafter. Read Announcement. If you believe in a vision of sustainably diverse Chicago communities and want to learn about, or endorse, the governing principles of the Dovie Thurman Affordable Housing Trust, visit our web page for Trust Allies and Supporters.